Fashion: PR vs. Advertising

Fashion: PR vs. Advertising

by Linden Chalfant

Today, thousands of people tune in to E! to learn about the latest Hollywood gossip. Thousands of people subscribe to celebrity gossip magazines to read about the latest love interests, the latest addictions, the latest trends. One thing that these two outlets inadvertently do is provide a large base for fashion PR.

Advertising is immensely costly and the research and analysis that go into finding a target audience and a certain niche don’t always pay off. Therefore, advertising can be unbelievably costly and potentially not even work well. As many people all over the world are tuning in to learning about celebrities and people in the media, fashion PR firms are trying to link a client’s product to the ones that we all find so influential.

Because of this, major brands are now linking with fashion PR firms to get their product on a celebrity. This proves to be more cost effective and much more influential than placing an advertisement on television or in a magazine. A brand can spend much less by sending free items to the fashion PR firms and then letting the PR firm find a way to get the item into the arms of a celebrity. For example, there was a brand of baby blankets that was really great, but it didn’t get the recognition that it deserved. The brand was making sales here and there for the satin-lined fleece blanket up until Suri Cruise was photographed clinging onto one in a magazine. The second that this happened, this brand was unbelievable successful. There were backorders for these blankets in all different colors and sizes. This just goes to show how public relations through product placement makes a much larger difference than straight advertising.

Fortune's '100 Best' generates motivation

Fortune's '100 Best' generates motivation
Morgan Byram

Fortune's '100 Best' generates motivation

 

            As we all know the way to get in the industry of public relation we must to be aware of current and past public relations campaigns both good and bad. A public relations practitioner must also know the best strategies to run a public relations campaign. While searching online I came across the article “Fortune’s ‘100 Best’ generates motivation,” in PR Week, this article shows the impact public relations can have on a company or organization.

            The article states that being a great place to work is the main and most obvious reason companies get placed on the Fortune’s ‘100 Best.’ Several other tactics that can bring a company to the list is to be able to communicate openly with your employees, be able to reward their achievements in a public manner, give them further opportunities, and to make them feel needed in the company.

            One of the most important opportunities making companies’ chances to get on the list easier is to generate a team willing to put forth the long hours to complete the forms. Most businesses overlook this method of creating a team. A company willing to work hard could possibly enable them to take place in this opportunity to better the way they are looked at externally and internally. Having a positive image in the community is one step to a better-run business. Lisa Ratner, a senior project manager with the Great Place to Work Institute stated, “it’s a very comprehensive and intensive selection process, it takes about 10 months to complete, from the nomination deadline through list publication. There is no monetary cost to the companies, but it does take time and a team on the ground."

 According to the article those who did get placed on the Fortune ‘100 Best,’ did receive positive feedback in their company. Some companies gained new talent with employees and it also helps boost the moral and overall satisfaction with the company.

From the article, you can gain in regards to the ‘100 Best,’ that motivation internally and externally in a company can change attitudes and the overall behavior of those in contact with the business, and the community. Public relations may sometimes be taken lightly, but from the article we can all see the successful impact good public relations can have on a company. Public relations can make or break you.

Here are some links to check out on the topic of Fortune ‘100 Best,’ and other organizations thoughts on creating the best place to work.

PR Week:   http://www.prweekus.com/fortunes-100-best-generates-motivation/article/105261/

Great Place to Work: http://www.greatplacetowork.com/best/list-bestusa-2007.htm

CSR Wire: http://www.csrwire.com/PressRelease.php?id=522

Fortune 100: http://fortune100s.com/fortune100/

Fortune Coach: http://www.fortune100coach.com/

Campaign Evolution

Campaign Evolution

As burgeoning Public Relations Practitioners, we seek to know the latest trends in the industry, so that we are equipped with the knowledge to put our company in the best possible light. In order to keep up with the latest in the field, I leafed through the November issue of PR Week to get my topic: Digital campaigns offer profile upgrades for nonprofits.

Many of us will most likely launch our careers with a nonprofit agency or eventually do consulting work for one. If that’s the case, it is important to know that campaigns are essential to the organization in regards to revenue, awareness and behavior. Public Relations Practitioners should be strategic in their approach by capitalizing on technological resources.

The article stated that most philanthropic organizations only utilize traditional tactics such as: community breakfast fundraisers while neglecting to give their campaign an edge by using the internet. Randi Schmelzer, the journalist who wrote Digital campaigns offer profile upgrades for nonprofits, said that philanthropic organizations should combine both the traditional methods of campaigning and the contemporary. The reason that you should use both boils down to audience participation.

Devries Public Relations states that in today’s world people do not want to “just consume media; they want to be an active participant”. Once your audience is engaged in your digital campaign they might elicit more information about your organization, which could help in changing or maintaining attitudes and behaviors.

Schmelzer said that employing digital campaigns might help with budgeting issues. Many nonprofit organizations seek publicity but do not have a sufficient budget to do so. Online campaign techniques could serve to be cost-efficient promotional tools.

Of course, your campaign tactics should fit the needs of your organization and its target audience. In building those tactics, you should utilize resources that will propel your client’s interest.

To find out more, please visit the following resources:

http://www.usenix.org/events/lisa04/tech/talks/carpenter.pdf

http://www.prweekus.com/pages/Login.aspx?retUrl=/Digital-campaigns-offer-profile-upgrades-for-nonprofits/article/99194/&PageTypeId=28&ArticleId=99194&accessLevel=2

http://www.ogilvypr.com/expertise/360-digital-influence.cfm

http://www.devries-pr.com/digital_services.html

http://www.spurdigital.com/web-marketing-resources-from-spur-digital/resource/article/online-media-planning-101-what-you-need-to-know-71.html

Wrestling the Giant-General Motors working on its public relations image

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3012/is_2_180/ai_59966981